Mentor City Council OKs firing ranges

Shooting enthusiasts in Mentor have the city's first commercial firing range in their sights.

At Tuesday's meeting, city council voted unanimously to lift a citywide ban on discharging weapons, provided the shooting takes place at an indoor firing range.

Last month, U.S. Army veteran and prospective business owner David Holtz asked the city to consider the changes so he could open a facility in Mentor, where he also lives.

"Everything's going forward according to plan if we get approval this evening," he told council Tuesday.

The amendment was recommended for council approval by the city planning commission. Holtz was the only person to speak in favor of the amendment during the public hearing portion of the meeting.

No one spoke in opposition and the legislation was approved unanimously.

Before passage, firearm discharge was permitted only in self-defense or by police officers in the line of duty. Violators could be charged with a fourth-degree misdemeanor.

Holtz, and any other future owners of firing ranges, must apply for and receive a conditional use permit in order to open for business.

At the meeting, Holtz said he plans on submitting a preliminary site plan for planning commission review in the near future.

Sweet grant

Separately, council approved a $1,000 economic development grant for Confectionery Cupboard, which earlier this year moved into 7300 Center St., the historic Mentor Library location in the city's Old Village area.

The grant will help pay for an illuminated decorative wooden sign. According to the grant application, the business had planned on purchasing plastic signage, though city administrators encouraged a wooden one to keep with the appearance of the neighborhood.

The business specializes in cupcakes in a wide and unique array of flavors and is expected to grow.

Mentor Director of Economic Development Ron Traub considers the grant an investment in the Confectionery Cupboard.

"For a small business such as what we're dealing with this evening, that additional cost of the sign is a significant cost of doing business," he said.

Owner Pat Huebner said she, like the city, preferred the wooden signage and thanked council for helping make it a reality.

"We're very happy to try and work with you to do the (wooden) sign more in keeping with our beautiful historic building, which we are absolutely in love with."

The business opened two years ago in Willoughby and moved to its current location earlier this year.